I turned 60 yesterday!
"O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!" Psalm 39:4
I'm still processing the experience. It's a good time to reflect on past, present and future issues. The older I get the more I appreciate God's sovereign watchcare. He was clearly watching over me and drawing me to himself. One of the constants in my life throughout the years has been my partner in life and marriage.
We are childhood sweethearts. We have been married for 36 years but I have known her at least 50 of my 60 years of life! I don't want to take that for granted. The Lord, in his sovereign wisdom used Bev and her family to show me Jesus and lead me to him.
Isn't that to be the purpose and goal of our marriages? To show Jesus to each other and the world. Life really is too short to be spending so much of our time and energy on things that won't last. Eternal issues become more important and necessary as we grow older. And there is no better place to be reminded of those things than in our marriages. To have a partner in life to share not only the adventures with but to remind each other of our eternal hope.
Our marriages don't last forever but our relationship with Jesus does.
I love Bev more now than I did before. Not simply because of all the experiences of life we have had together and the fact that she has put up with a lot! We have precious memories of life together in each season. Starting out with little money but lots of love. The blessing of children and lots of worries about doing things right. Saying goodbye to our adult children and facing a new season of life alone again.
Yes we are older but richly blessed with memories of God's faithful love.
Getting older can be unsettling in our youth obsessed culture but there is a blessing in age and marriage that can't be matched. Truly knowing that the love of Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Whatever season of life you are in your marriage - keep building it on the promises of God fulfilled in Christ. Thank God for that partner in life who is also your brother or sister in Christ and make the most of the years he gives you in this fleeting life!
2 comments:
Belated wishes for a happy birthday! :)
Hi Jer,
You and Bev were married a few years before Donna and I, and you graciously had me in your home several times. I observed you and learned a lot about what a Christian marriage should look like. They you had children a few years before us, and I watched and learned again. I've appreciated that blessing over the years and thought this blog was a good opportunity to thank you and Bev. I'm grateful to God for all He has done in and through your lives and for how that has blessed others ... particularly me.
Love in Christ,
Doug W
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